Celebrating life at Barchester

Today, we took a special moment to say a BIG THANK YOU to our wonderful housekeeping team!

Our housekeeping staff play such an important role in creating a clean, safe, comfortable and welcoming home for our residents every day. From the early mornings to the busy days, their hard work, care and attention to detail make a real difference.

We celebrated thank you Day together with our whole team to show our appreciation for everything they do. Your dedication often happens behind the scenes, but it never goes unnoticed.

Thank you for all your hard work, commitment and for helping make our home a better place every day. We truly appreciate you!    

Residents enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of music and celebration as we marked the Last Night of the Proms with a fantastic performance from Tora Wilson. Everyone had a great time singing along to a wonderful selection of both classic and contemporary favourites. The home was beautifully decorated with Union Jack flags and red, white and blue balloons, creating a festive atmosphere for the occasion. 

Residents waved flags, enjoyed a glass of bubbly, and joined together in song, making the afternoon full of laughter, smiles, and happy memories. It was a truly joyful event that brought everyone together to celebrate music, community, and the spirit of this cherished British tradition.     

Marriott House & Lodge has celebrated 30 years as a care home with a spectacular 1970s-themed birthday party, bringing residents, families, friends and staff together for an afternoon of music, dancing and nostalgic fun.

The special celebration took place on 25 September, marking three decades of Marriott House & Lodge providing care and creating memories for residents and their families.
To mark the milestone, the home transported guests back to the 1970s, with residents, staff and family members dressing up in colourful period-inspired outfits and embracing the party spirit.
Live entertainment was provided by Karen Etherington Vocalist, whose music had residents and guests up on their feet and dancing throughout the celebration.

The Marriott House & Lodge team also prepared an impressive spread of 1970s-inspired food, with some classic favourites making an appearance. The much-loved combination of cheese and pineapple on sticks proved particularly popular with guests.
The celebration was also an opportunity for the care home to thank the many friends and family members who joined them for the occasion, as well as the staff and residents who helped make the event such a success.t

The 30th birthday celebration was a fitting tribute to the home’s three decades of caring for residents and supporting families in the local community.
 

Residents enjoyed a lovely trip out to Evesham Valley Garden Centre! 

Pat, Terry, Pat, Carly and Rachel enjoyed a lovely outing to Evesham Valley Garden Centre last week. We had a little wander around, enjoyed some tasty samples of pickles and mustards, and, of course, Terry’s favourite … the biscuit samples! 

Pat found herself a rather fetching hat and Pat S was very interested in having a look at all the beautiful jewellery. After a lovely browse and a few treats along the way, we took the scenic route home, enjoying the views before arriving back just in time for supper. 

A lovely afternoon filled with good company, plenty of smiles and, naturally, a few samples! 

We travelled to our adventure today on our mini bus and a limousine provided by David Silveys and driven by Amber, who volunteered her services. We are so grateful to her and David Silveys.

The Rivertime Boat Trust offers an accessible boat trip on the River Thames for our care home residents, and those with reduced mobility. This custom 42-foot passenger boat named Rivertime features a hydraulic wheelchair lift, an accessible toilet and a sliding roof.

The route was from Henley-on-Thames to Bisham Abbey near Marlow, and we brought our own picnic including prosecco and wine, creamy cakes and enjoyed a 1st class treat.    

Chocolate brownies on offer are baked by our chef, Paula. Bribery I hear! Well, if it encourages our residents and families to complete the survey privately and in the privacy of the garden lounge. 

Why not we are proud of our care and our home! It was so lovely for families to share their remarks after they’ve completed the survey and let us know that the survey reflects on how well and caring we are and how well we are doing!    

Every Sunday, one of our residents looks forward to attending church, where he has the opportunity to meet his friends, enjoy the service, and stay connected with the community he knows and loves.

Our dedicated staff support and accompany him to church every Sunday, making sure he can continue doing the things that are important to him.  

This is what person-centred care means to us — getting to know each resident as an individual, supporting their choices, maintaining their independence, and helping them stay connected to the people, places and routines that bring them happiness.
We are proud that life in our home doesn’t mean losing connections with the wider community. Instead, we encourage our residents to continue enjoying the activities, relationships and traditions that matter most to them. 

Because good care is not just about meeting needs — it’s about supporting a meaningful and fulfilling life. 

Picnic – Friday lunchtime – Jane, our resident ambassador, community picnic continues …

Throughout the summer months, Jane’s friends from Wycombe organised a picnic which they held in Shelburne Lodges garden. Now the weather is not so bright, it was held in the dining room and it was still a great success. Thank you for organising and making the getting together, and making the picnic social for Jane so wonderful.

Lili’s 89th birthday party – Friday lunchtime was Lili's 89th birthday lunch – Her wish was to spend the day with her family and her family made sure they made it very special for her …

Her comment was, “It was such a wonderful day."   

We were delighted to welcome Liz from In2Cultures to Cherry Trees for a fascinating talk and cultural experience all about the Maasai people of Africa. 

Our residents enjoyed learning about Maasai traditions, daily life, clothing, food, family and the incredible importance of cattle within their culture. Did you know red is an especially important colour to Maasai men? It represents courage and strength. We also learnt about the traditional shuka – colourful cloth worn by the Maasai, often featuring beautiful red patterns. These replaced the leather clothing traditionally worn until the 1970s, when Scottish missionaries introduced them to cloth!

We heard about the Moran, the young Maasai warriors, and their initiation ceremonies. The young men take great pride in their appearance, with some wearing their hair long, decorated with red ochre, headbands and beautiful jewellery. One of the highlights was learning about Adumu, the famous Maasai jumping dance. Young warriors jump high on the spot to demonstrate their strength and agility and, historically, to impress the ladies! 

We also discovered how traditional shoes can be made from old car tyres. A shoemaker would draw around your foot and create a pair using straps. They are affectionately known as “1000 milers” because of the incredible distances they can travel! The Maasai are renowned for their beautiful beadwork, with women creating bracelets, belts, earrings, sandals and many other items to sell and help support their families. The beadwork is incredibly colourful, and different colours have different meanings. Our residents were fascinated to learn that certain colours are traditionally not put together.

We even learnt about “talking sticks”! Because the Maasai are known for being very chatty, chiefs would use a decorated talking stick during gatherings – only the person holding the stick was allowed to speak! Cattle are central to Maasai life and culture. The Maasai traditionally believe that all cattle in the world belong to them. We heard about how women help milk the cattle and how milk can traditionally be mixed with cow’s blood as part of their diet.

We also discovered their spiritual beliefs, including the belief that their god lives in Ol Doinyo Lengai, an active volcano in Tanzania.
And perhaps surprisingly, modern technology is also becoming part of Maasai life. Some people now have mobile phones, laptops and headphones – although in some areas they may have to walk several miles just to find a mobile signal! Our residents were particularly struck by how artistic, resourceful and creative Maasai communities are, and how closely their lives remain connected to the land and nature.

A huge thank you to Liz from In2Cultures for bringing this wonderful culture to life for us. We certainly learnt something new today and had plenty to talk about afterwards!